Art of mining.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

A. G. PARKER.

ART OF MINING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1905.

QWMQ

ATTORNEY-S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT GEO. PARKER, OF PLATTE CENTER, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO CHRISTIAN M. GRUENTHER, OF PLATTE CENTER,

NEBRASKA.

ART OF MINING.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented April 1'7, 1906.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT GEO. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Platte Center, in the county of Platte and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Art of Mining, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to mining, and par ticularly to the removal of placer deposits.

It consists in the various steps, features, and combinations hereinafter described, and more particularly claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in'which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of an apparatus by which my improved method may be performed. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail through the upper portion of the head. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail through the lower portion of the head, and Fig. 4 illustrates another form of attachment for the inlet-pipes.

In the apparatus here illustrated, 10 designates a head furnishing the body portion of a siphon, this head being conveniently a tubular casting having a lower inlet-opening 11 and above this an outlet-opening 12. The short leg or intake end of the siphon preferably consists of a plurality of inlet-pipes 13, which are shown as flexible or consisting of hose. They may be attached to a branch pipe 14, extending from the inlet-opening, this pipe, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, having Ts 15, from which extend nipples 16, each including a valve 16. To these valves the hose may be joined and have at their opposite ends nozzles 16 Other means may be employed for attaching the inlet-pipes. For example, the head may terminate in a drum 17, having about its lower extremity perforated bosses 18, into which are made nipples 19, carrying the valves and hose.

The long leg of the siphon is provided by an outlet-pipe 20, leading from the opening 12, and this for convenience in handling may also be flexible or of hose. At its outer extremity is shown a valve 21.

At the upper end of the head is a filling or priming o ening 22, with which is preferably connectec a funnel 23 for the introduction of Water. Between the funnel and head is a chamber 24, at the inner side of which is a valve 25 and at the outer a valve 26.

In the use of the apparatus in comparatively shallow streams, such as is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the siphon-head may be set directly upon the bed and the outletpipe carried downstream far enough to give the difference in level necessary to generate the requisite velocity of flow through the s1- phon. It may be supported at intervals upon suitable trestles 27. In operating in deeper bodies of water the head may be mounted upon a boat or barge. To prepare the apparatus for operation, the valves 16 and 21 are closed, while valves 25 and 26 are opened, and water is introduced through the funnel to fill the siphon. The two lastnamed valves are then closed and the other valves opened, whereupon the flow through the siphon will start. The nozzles are now moved over the bed either by persons standing in the water or through poles or the like attached to said nozzles and operated from the bank or a float. They may be readily introduced into depressions or pockets, however deep or abrupt they may be, and the contents, including the deposit of metal, will be drawn into the siphon and discharged into a sluice 28, which may be provided with the necessary blankets, riffles, or mercury-pools to separate the values. When the deposits within the range of the inlet-pipes have been exhausted, the head is moved to a new location. If air enters the siphon, it will accumulate at the highest portionthe upper extremity of the headand to prevent its interfering with the siphonic action the valve 25 is opened, allowing the air to rise into the chamber above. The valve 25 is then closed, the valve 26 opened, when the air may be displaced by filling the chamber with water.

This invention is particularly applicable to the working of placer-deposits which have already been mined by the ordinary methods, these not permitting the eflective removal of the auriferous sands from very irregular sur faces or those in which there are abrupt depressions. It will be obvious that in my improved method the nozzles may be introduced into any recesses and the contents entirely withdrawn. New placer claims may be equally well operated upon, and in this case a much greater profit will result.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1'. Amining-siphon comprisin ahead havmg 1nlet and outlet openings, a f exible inletpipe connected with the inlet-opening, and an outlet-pipe leading from the outlet-opening.

2. Amining-siphon comprising a head havmg mlet and outlet openings, a plurality of flexlble inlet-pipes connected with the inletopening, and an outlet-pipe leading from the outlet-opening.

3. A mining-siphon comprising a head hav- 1ng 1nlet and outlet openings, a plurality of flexible inlet-pipes connected with the inletopening, a Valve associated with the inletpipe, and an outlet-pipe leading from the outlet-opening.

4. Amining-siphon comprising a head having an inletopening, an outlet-opening and a priming-opening, a valve in the priming-opening, a flexible inlet-pipe connected with the inlet-opening, an outlet-pipe leading from the outlet-opening, and a valve near the lower extremity o1 the outlet-pipe.

5. A mining-siphon comprising a head having an inlet-opening, an outlet-opening and a primingopening, a chamber connected with the priming-opening and a valve upon eachside of the chamber, a flexible inlet-pipe connected with the inlet-opening, an outlet-pipe leading from the outlet-opening, and a valve near the lower extremity of the outlet-pipe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT GEO. PARKER. Witnesses:

MAX BRUCKNER, D. D. ROBERTS. 

